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The large food distributors; SYSCO/USFOODSERVICE have been trying to popularize the use of re-formed beef steaks for the past few years. They are made using "cold-set binding agents" that are largely carrageenan based. This allows them to take "bi-product" from whole muscle areas and "bind" them together in shapes suitable to the consumer. It's not just the McRib and QSR's, you may be eating "shaped meat" at a white table cloth restaurant one day.
You think I go to different restaurants than I do.
That's about the only real advantage to living in Los Angeles - out here, chains just don't really compete. Competition is fierce enough, and people want it badly enough, such that the Olive Gardens and Tony Romas of the world aren't nearly as ubiquitous. I'm sure there's plenty of Sysco in what I eat but having spent way too much time on cooking shows I'm a bit of a snob about what I pay someone else to cook for me.
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I know that the "farm to table" crowd isn't going to be serving congealed meats, it was an exaggeration. But you are right, there is likely still plenty of SYSCO in your food. Even the restaurants that advertise "whenever possible we source locally" will have a SYSCO deliveries coming in.
More than anyone the big distributors are responsible for the homogenization of the American Palate.